Smoke-Free Cigarette

ABSTRACT

A Cigarette body for a smoke-free cigarette, the cigarette body ( 12 ) of which has a cylindrical body with an air inlet at one end and an air outlet at the other end, an air channel linking the air inlet with the air outlet and a heating device ( 26 ) to warm the air passing through the channel, with the end designed with an air outlet attachable to the end of a cylindrical mouthpiece ( 10 ) containing a deposit for a pleasure-giving stimulant ( 58 ) and designed with a suction opening ( 18 ), so that following the application of negative pressure to the suction opening, the pleasure-giving stimulant is evaporated by the warmed air flowing through the channel and exits together with the air via the suction opening, with this characterized by the fact that the surface of the body ( 24 ) facing radially outwards contains thermal material which insulates it from the inside and encloses a structuring heat conductor ( 26 ) made from thermally conducting material, which is accessible through the air inlet and for which the end facing away from the air inlet is directly attached to the pleasure-giving stimulant deposit ( 38 ).

The invention relates to a smoke-free cigarette, in accordance with thegeneric term of Claim 1.

In DE 103 21 379 A1, which forms the basis of the generic term of Claim1, a smoke-free cigarette is described, designed with a reusablecigarette body with a thermoplastic sheathing with a vapour depositedcoating which retro-reflects heat and is designed with a heat source,which is incorporated into the sheathing in such a way that air channelsarise. A non-reusable mouthpiece contains a nicotine aroma reserve and afilter.

Heat released from the heat source warms the air sucked through the airduct by a consumer, which warms the nicotine aroma reserve, in this wayreleasing the nicotine and aromatic substances located in the reserve,which are taken up by the consumer or smoker after passing through thefilter. On account of the smoke-free nicotine feed, intense enjoyment ofnicotine is possible without residues of combustion products and withoutaffecting the surrounding area.

DE 297 13 866 U1 describes an electrical hot air adapter for cigaretteswhich permits smoke-free enjoyment of a cigarette, since the cigaretteis inserted into a sleeve-shaped adapter containing a warming chamberand a heating element.

A draught taken by a smoker is heated in the warming chamber and by theheating element, reaching the cigarette, so that the aromatic compoundsare released from the pleasure-giving stimulant without it burning.

DE 199 35 706 A1 describes a smoke-free cigarette for which thecigarette body contains a battery-heated filament, which heats the airdrawn in by a smoker. The drawn in air passes through a replaceablenicotine filter, in which the nicotine is released by the warmed air sothat it can be inhaled by the consumer.

DE 40 06 887 A1 describes a smoke-free cigarette, the body of whichcontains a capsule as heat source, in which a heat-generating reactionmay be initiated.

An aerosol may be released by the heat, which is inhalable through afilter mouthpiece.

A cigarette functioning without combustion is known from DD 298 347 A5,which contains a pleasure-giving stimulant and a heat source to heat thepleasure-giving stimulant which is not based on combustion and which isphysically separated from the pleasure-giving stimulant.

The invention forms the basis of creating an affordable anduser-friendly possibility which provides smokers with the intenseenjoyment of nicotine or the pleasure-giving stimulant with an aromasimilar to conventional cigarettes without affecting the surroundingenvironment through smoking.

This problem was solved with the cigarette body pursuant to Claim 1.

The reusable cigarette body corresponding to the invention which doesnot contain its own heating source, is affordable, and by warming thewarming tube, permits swift heating of the pleasure-giving stimulant foran adequate period.

Subclaims 2 to 5 are directed towards the beneficial extension of thecigarette body corresponding to the invention.

Claim 6 characterises the cigarette corresponding to the invention as awhole, which is extended with the characteristics of Claim 7 in abeneficial way.

Claims 8 to 10 concern a mouthpiece for the cigarette.

Claims 11 to 13 characterise an adapter, through which a cigarettecorresponding to the invention may be attached to a heat source.

In designing the adapter in accordance with Claim 12, a cigarettecorresponding to the invention may be handled in a similar way to aconventional cigarette.

In particular, the “lighting up” of the cigarette with a lighter is apsychological component, which compares with the usual handling of aconventional cigarette, actually transformed into a smouldering fire.

Claims 14 and 15 characterise a cigarette box in which the mouthpiecesprovided for a single use may be stored together with the reusablecigarette body.

With the invention, a possibility has been created of maintaining thesubjective pleasure of conventional cigarette smoking, and inparticular, of avoiding the disturbances to the environment associatedwith conventional smoking. The cigarette corresponding to the inventionmay be “lit up” or initiated like a conventional cigarette, in that itis initiated by a lighter. The heat created through the lighter causesthe evaporation or release of the pleasure-giving stimulant deposited inthe reserve, e.g. nicotine with aromatic substances, which is rapidlyready for enjoyment and which may be enjoyed intensely. The harmfulsubstances of conventional smoking, such as tar and combustion products,are absent from this enjoyment. Since no smoke is emitted in thesurroundings, there is no passive smoking by individuals located in thesurrounding area. If the smoke-free cigarette corresponding to theinvention cools down with longer use, without the pleasure-givingstimulant being consumed, it may easily be put to use again throughrenewed “lighting up” with the lighter, so that the pleasure-givingstimulant may be consumed.

The invention shall be illustrated below on the basis of schematicplans, by way of example, and with the mention of further detail.

The figures represent:

FIG. 1 in an exploded illustration of a cross section through amouthpiece, a cigarette body and an adapter,

FIG. 2 a side view of a cigarette lighter,

FIG. 3 A view from above of an opened box.

FIG. 1 shows cross sections through a mouthpiece (10), a cigarette body(12) and an adapter (14) arranged next to each other.

The overall cylindrical mouthpiece (10) consists of known filtermaterial, such as that used for the filter mouthpieces of conventionalcigarettes. One end of the mouthpiece (10) is designed as a suctionoutlet (18). The end of the mouthpiece (10), which is turned away fromthe suction outlet (18), is designed with a hollow cylindrical recess.The surface (22) of the mouthpiece (10) and the left end pursuant toFIG. 1 is designed with closed cells.

The cigarette body (12) features a cylindrical jacket or body (24) ofthermally insulating material, or a ceramic material, which contains awarming tube (26) made of highly thermally conductive material, e.g.copper. The left end of the warming tube (26) pursuant to FIG. 1protrudes from the body (24), with the outer shape of the protrudingregion (28) approximately corresponding to the outline of the recess(20). The end of the protruding region (28) is open and preferablydesigned with passage outlets (30). It is also possible that the end isclosed and then designed with at least one further passage outlet.

At its right end, the body (24) is designed with a recess (32) in whichthe right end of the warming tube (26) is exposed.

The right end of the body (24), together with the outlet of the warmingtube (26), forms an air inlet, connected to an air inlet in the left endof the warming tube (26) via a passage outlet through the interior ofthe warming tube (26).

The cigarette body (12) and the mouthpiece (10) form, for example, adummy with an appearance corresponding to that of a conventional filtercigarette.

The adapter (14), which, for example, is designed overall as a sheetmetal element, presents a left side in the form of a sleeve (34),pursuant to FIG. 1, which forms an insertion inlet (36) for theinsertion of the right end of the cigarette body (12) pursuant toFIG. 1. At a distance from the sleeve (34) the adapter (14) is designedwith an insertion component (38), which e.g. presents two upward bendingarms (40) (in FIG. 1, only one is visible), which are not joined to acomplete sleeve, but are elastic and may be prised apart.

Between the sleeve (34) and the insertion component (38), a bimetallicsheet (42) is included, which at normal room temperature takes on theapproximately axial position so represented and bends upwards onheating, so that it closes the sleeve (34).

A familiar cigarette lighter, suitable for a smoke-free cigarettecorresponding to the invention, is sketched in FIG. 2 and indicated as(44). The cigarette lighter (44) presents a body (46) in which the fuel,e.g. LPG, is taken up. In an attachment (48) to the body (46), a burnernozzle is arranged, to which air is conducted via the air passage (50),so that after lighting the lighter by means of a handle (52) the peak ofa flame in the form of the flame (54) shoots forward from the attachment(48). The function of the described components is as follows:

The mouthpiece (10) is coated on the internal side of the recess (20)with a volatile pleasure-giving stimulant (58), e.g. nicotine mixed withscents and/or flavourings. In its condition on delivery, the mouthpiece(10) is e.g. surrounded by plastic foil, so that the pleasure-givingstimulant (58) cannot evaporate. After removing the plastic foil, themouthpiece (10) is attached to the protruding area (28) of the cigarettebody (12), so that a subassembly arises which has the appearance of aconventional cigarette (mouthpiece with cigarette body).

In order to “light up”, the right end of the cigarette body (12)pursuant to FIG. 1 is inserted into the insertion inlet (36) of theadapter (14). The adapter (14), with its insertion component (38) isthen slid back onto the attachment (48) of the cigarette lighter (44).It is evident that that the adapter (14) can then be slid back onto thecigarette lighter (44) and the cigarette can then be inserted into theinsertion inlet (36).

The reciprocal insertion movements of the cigarette body (12) into thesleeve (34), as well as of the attachment (48) of the cigarette lighterto the insertion component (38) are advantageously limited through therebates designed in the adapter (14), so that the geometricalrelationship of the cigarette lighter to the cigarette body (12) andhence of the flame (54) to the warming tube (26) is well-defined, if theflame (54) has a predefined form. In this way, the deformation of thebimetallic sheet (42) is coordinated with the warming of the warmingtube (26) and thus with the warming of the pleasure-giving stimulant(58) and the external side of the cigarette body (12), which is held inthe hand, so that with the corresponding coordination of the heatconductivity of the cigarette body, its outer surface is only slightlyheated, even though the pleasure-giving stimulant (58) has certainlyreached its release or evaporation temperature, e.g. between 50-60° C.

With the handle (52), the lighter is then activated so that the flame(54) reaches the interior of the recess (32) and the left end region ofthe warming tube (26) is heated, so that the pleasure-giving stimulant(58) is evaporated or released. When the warming tube (26) is adequatelyheated, i.e. with adequate duration of the flame (54), the bimetallicsheet (42) is heated and unbends, so that a smoker who encloses themouthpiece (10) with his/her lips can turn off the cigarette lighter(44) and remove it.

After withdrawing the adapter (14), the cigarette which consists of themouthpiece (10) and the cigarette body (12) is available for enjoymentlike a normal cigarette, since the pleasure-giving stimulant (58) isheld at an adequate temperature for evaporation for a sufficiently longperiod by the warming tube (26) as a consequence of this high warmingcapacity. On drawing in air through the suction opening (18), this airflows through the warming tube (26) and its passage opening (30) alongthe surface region of the recess (20) which is coated or soaked with apleasure-giving stimulant (58), so that the air takes up the evaporatedand other volatile components of the pleasure-giving stimulant (58),which can be enjoyed in the mouth or by inhalation.

The sizing of the adapter (14) and the length of insertion of thecigarette lighter into the adapter, on the one hand, and of thecigarette in the adapter on the other, are such that the tip of theflame (54) is located concentrically to the warming tube (26), at ashort distance from its right-hand end, in accordance with FIG. 1. Inorder that the supply of air to the flame through the adapter is notdisturbed, the insertion component (38) is designed in such a way thatthe air passage (50) essentially remains exposed. The flame (54) isessentially located in the area between the sleeve (34) and theinsertion component (38).

The discovery may be modified in many ways. For example, the mouthpiece(10) need not contain filter material. The recess (20) may be designedas part of the cigarette body (12), so that the mouthpiece is designedwith a corresponding protrusion. The body (24) and the warming tube (26)may be designed together in a single component, while the jacket isdesigned e.g. as a layered body consisting on the inside of a materialwith a high degree of thermal conductivity with the highest possibleheating capacity, and on the outside, of a material with low thermalconductivity. Alternatively, the body (24) may be designed in the formof a thermal container with multiple layers and a vacuum between theselayers.

The warming tube (26) may be designed in wholesale fashion as a heatconductor and heat reservoir with high heat capacity, from a materialwith good heat conducting properties, with the right end pursuant toFIG. 1 having the largest possible surface, e.g. through fluting. Inthis case, an air duct may at least be constructed via a groove in the“warming rod” and/or jacket, and conducts along the ribs in the recess(20) and/or the area of the warming rod which protrudes into themouthpiece.

The adapter may also be constructed in a different way, e.g. adapted forthe attachment of the cigarette body (12) to the cigarette lighter of alorry. The adapter will then contain a heated component, which comesinto direct contact with the warming tube (26) and through the insertionof the adapter into a cigarette lighter, is heated until the warmingtube (26) or the recess (20) are heated sufficiently, e.g. to around50-60° C.

In the place of the depicted cigarette lighter, any other lighter may beused, where lighters with long flames are preferred.

As an accessory, a lighter specially adapted to the cigarettecorresponding to the invention may be offered, which produces apredefined flame and is extinguished after a predefined interval.

Liquids or powder may be used as a pleasure-giving stimulant, with theseintroduced into the recess (20) or part of the mouthpiece coated with orsoaked in these. According to the taste of consumers, differentpleasure-giving stimulants may be used, e.g. nicotine enriched withflavours and scents, etc. Alternatively, the pleasure-giving stimulantmay be contained in a pleasure-giving stimulant body, which is insertedinto the recess as a tablet, but which lines the entire recess. It isevident that the pleasure-giving stimulant holder, available as aseparate component, will be porous or designed with passage vents andlocated between the actual mouthpiece and the air outlets of the warmingtube. In particular, on using such a pleasure-giving stimulant holder,the mouthpiece itself is reusable, in that it consists of a hygienic andeasily cleanable material.

FIG. 3 presents a view from above of a box (60) in which the cigarettecorresponding to the invention may be stored in the manner ofconventional cigarette packaging. The reusable cigarette bodies (12)designed with different values may be stored in a case (62). A case (64)is provided for the inclusion of an adapter. Cases (66) are provided forthe inclusion of mouthpieces (10) intended for single use, preferably ininitially sealed form. In the represented example, 14 mouthpieces (10)can be accommodated. The mouthpieces (10) are bought in shops or vendingmachines and stored in the boxes (60). The represented box (60) thuscorresponds to a conventional box with 14 conventional cigarettes.

The refilling of the box (60), which can be designed as a high-value boxwith a lid which is not depicted, is comparatively affordable, sinceonly the mouthpieces (10) must be renewed.

In an amended form of execution, reusable mouthpieces (10) may bedesigned. The recess (20) will then be repeatedly coated withpleasure-giving stimulant, which is constituted in such a way that itmay be consumed in a form which is entirely residue-free.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

10 Mouthpiece

12 Cigarette body

14 Adapter

16 Filter material

18 Suction outlet

20 Recess

22 Surface

24 Body

26 Warming tube

28 Region

30 Passage outlet

32 Recess

34 Sleeve

36 Insertion inlet

38 Insertion component

40 Arm

42 Bimetallic sheet

44 Cigarette lighter

46 Body

48 Attachment

50 Air passage

52 Handle

54 Flame

58 Pleasure-giving stimulant

60 Box

62 Case

64 Case

66 Case

1. Cigarette body for a smoke-free cigarette, the cigarette body (12) ofwhich has a cylindrical body (24) with an air inlet at one end and anair outlet at the other end, an air channel linking the air inlet withthe air outlet and a heating device (26) to warm the air passing throughthe channel, with the end designed with an air outlet attachable to theend of a cylindrical mouthpiece (10) containing a deposit for apleasure-giving stimulant (58) and designed with a suction opening (18),so that following the application of negative pressure to the suctionopening, the pleasure-giving stimulant is evaporated by the warmed airflowing through the channel and exits together with the air via thesuction opening, with this characterized by the fact that the body (24)is traversed axially by a heat conductor (26) made out of thermallyconductive material, which is accessible via the axial end of the bodythrough the air inlet and at the other axial end, there is a devicewhich transfers heat to the pleasure-giving stimulant (58) andcharacterized by the fact that the body has a structure such that thesurface facing radially outwards is thermally insulated from the heatconductor (26).
 2. Cigarette body characterized pursuant to claim 1 bythe fact that the body (24) contains thermal insulating material. 3.Cigarette body pursuant to claim 1, characterized by the fact that theheat conductor consists of a warming tube (26), the inside of whichforms the air exchange channel.
 4. Cigarette body pursuant to claim 1,characterized by the fact that an end region (28) of the warming tube(26) containing the air outlet protrudes from the body (12) and may beapplied to a recess (20) of the mouthpiece (10) containing a deposit forthe pleasure-giving stimulant (58).
 5. Cigarette body pursuant to claim4, characterized by the fact that the end of the warming tube (26)protruding from the body (12) is designed with openings (30) on itslateral surface.
 6. Cigarette containing a mouthpiece (10) and acigarette body (12) pursuant to claim
 1. 7. Cigarette pursuant to claim6, characterized by the fact that the mouthpiece (10) contains filtermaterial (16), in which the condensing steam from the pleasure-givingstimulant and the solids contained in the vapour are deposited. 8.Cigarette pursuant to claim 7, characterized by the fact that one of theends of the mouthpiece (10) facing away from the outlet (18) is designedwith a recess for the insertion of the end region of the warming tube(26).
 9. Cigarette pursuant to claim 8, characterized by the fact thatat least a part of the inner wall of the recess is provided with apleasure-giving stimulant (58).
 10. Cigarette pursuant to claim 7,characterized by the fact that the pleasure-giving stimulant iscontained in a holder arranged between the warming tube (26) and themouthpiece (10).
 11. Adapter for attachment to the end of the cigarettebody designed pursuant to claim 1 designed with an air inlet for acigarette (10, 12) to a heating source (44) characterized by aninsertion outlet (36), for the insertion of the end region of thecigarette body (12) designed with an air inlet and an insert component(3 8) for the attachment of the adapter (14) to the heat source (44), insuch a way that the heat conductor (26) may be heated by the heat source(44).
 12. Adapter, pursuant to claim 11, characterized by the fact thatthe insertion component (38) is suitable for attachment to a cigarettelighter (44), so that the end region of the heat conductor (26) facingit may be heated by a flame from a cigarette lighter.
 13. Adapter,pursuant to claim 11, characterized by a switching device (42) whichterminates the conduction of heat via the heat conductor (26) afterpredefined warming. 14-15. (canceled)